Wednesday, September 30, 2009

...and Niko isn't charged up yet. This is going to be a quick post. I got stuck in traffic, late for my hair cut, late putting together a salad for dinner, unpacked Niko (the camera) only to find out I had to charge the battery. Drats. But I got it all put together and started the Quick Start guide.

So...Daisy and I are not having a photo shoot tonight. If we get up early enough and I have time for coffee I may try a few pics in the morning. I know I know.....it's not right but you can't get a supermodel to work when she is tired and Daisy isn't budging. I'm glad she can't talk and tell you it's really me that's tired :) You thought I was going to say I was the supermodel!!!

I'm really happy with the feel of the cameral and I got thru the initial setup. The LCD screen is great. I'm glad I went with the D40 rather than the D60 or another higher model. The D40 is super cool but lighter. It may now be time to take a beginner photography class at the local community college. That would be fun! fun! fun!

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

...even though I'm running on about 3 hours of sleep. I just couldn't sleep last night and I'm at the point where I'm so tired I'm wired out...tylenol pm is looking good right now but the Dish Network guy still hasn't arrived. Daniel worked from home so it's not been a total waste and he said he was very productive.

It's a terrific Tuesday because...drum roll please...I am the proud owner of a new Nikon D40 camera. As soon as it arrives I plan to make an Apple Upside Down cake and post a photo of it. I'm going to take a side-by-side with old/new camera so you can see the improvement. I will be light years ahead of where I currently am in the way of a digital camera. It was a splurge but at this stage in my life I'm not going to count every penny and worry that buying this camera is going to cost a year of lunches or something in my retirement. I am going to start bringing my lunch again to work...I miss them and I just need to get back into my evening/morning groove to get them started again.

Wow, I've been blogging a full week. I've looked forward to it. I'm going to spend some time Saturday (it's supposed to rain) thinking about what I want to accomplish with this. I feel like I need some sort of a plan. Well, that is between learning the camera and baking the cake :)

Peace out.

SPECIAL UPDATE: Since my original post I received my FedEx tracking number...my little Niko is coming home tomorrow!!! I will most likely have 50 pictures of my dog Daisy by 9pm tomorrow night :) She's cute...you'll like her.

UPDATE TO THE SPECIAL UPDATE: Yes, still up but not for long. DISH network came and conquered. It's official...we have NHL Center Ice. I will not see the man I married until the hockey season is over...well that's not entirely true. I will see him in between games...hmmm what trouble can I get into this winter! Suggestions?

Monday, September 28, 2009

Just a quick check in. Got my flu shot today...so far so good. I also saw my oncologist today. He feels I should be in the "watch and wait" mode. Lot's of discussion behind this decision but suffice it to say that I absolutely love that man. He so gets me and listens to me. He is the dr who ordered the test that uncovered the appendiceal tumor. Who knows how long this may have gone on if he didn't "hear" me.

I scheduled the colonoscopy...my sister (the awesome nurse that she is) says no big deal. I said the same thing to her that I say to everyone who says that...ok well you go do it then. I know she is right...just have to get the first one down and then I'll be good to go. It was good to talk to her. I miss her laugh and her bravado. She is a really special girl and I most certainly don't tell her often enough that I think that. I need to do a better job at that because it's important for her to know.

Ok, so let's end this day on a good note. I have a really nice burger coming home soon along with my husband...yeah! I plan on a busy and productive day at work tomorrow and I have a new haircut scheduled for after work on Wednesday. Still searching for "the camera" and will officially be upgrading to an Iphone on October 22nd...yeehaw!

Sunday, September 27, 2009

...you got it SAILING! Wow, two back-to-back days on the water. Today we were full sails UP!!! I can't stand myself I had so much fun :) What a treat...these past two days can almost be enough to make up for the 48 weeks of treatment....almost I said. When you are still smiling hours after you've done something you know it was the real deal and you just experienced fabulosity! Seriously, I can't stand myself right now I'm so sickening happy :) Only thing that could make it even better is to lay my hands on one of these cameras!!! Some day...sigh....

I go for my one month check up with my oncologist in the morning...I already know I've moved past the anemia the chemo caused...yeah! I will fill him in on the appendix situation and ask him weigh in on my situation. Also stopping by for the regular flu shot and then into the office for another full week...back in business again as they say. Seriously need to schedule the colonoscopy and will do that tomorrow. I also need an appt with the dentist...geez can a girl catch a break!

Saturday, September 26, 2009

...not housework! This is the really big fabulous boat that we saw today out on the Potomac…must have had a crew of 10-12 people…..the flags were so pretty. Crappy photo from the camera phone again...drats...another reason to start searching for a decent camera….Nikon D60…come to mama!

I found out about the appendix cancer right in the middle of the boat buying process and I wasn’t sure we should continue with the purchase….I’m so glad I listened to Daniel who said “why wouldn’t we…of course we're going to buy her we have plenty of time to sail.” Smart cookie that one is :)

Well this is how the boat buying process got started. I guess it was about four or five months into my 11 months weekly chemo shots that I started to realize that I wanted to get out an live life. It became clear to me that we spent most of our time working, mowing the lawn, household stuff and generally nothing else important. There is no time to waste not having fun, laughing and enjoying the world we live in. I couldn't remember the last time I had really really laughed (except when I'm with the Fabs...more on them later) I got so sick there for awhile that I had nothing to do but lay in bed and think. My body wasn't able to do much but my mind was racing.

We ran down a list of possibles….RV…not even in the running...we spend too much time in traffic as it is just to get to work. Lake house…who can afford that. Boat…now you’re talkin. I don’t like speed boats and I’m cheap so we settled our search on a sailboat. I knew I had to have a potty so that meant $$$....not necessarily so. Well, long story short within five weeks we had found, surveyed and were the proud owners of the 30 foot Catalina tall rig whose name is "Quandary". We absolutely love her. She has brought us so much pleasure. Daniel is Canadian and his family was here recently from Quebec. We were able to share this new love of ours with them. What fun that was…so much so that we miss them with us now when we go out on the water.

Today was just one of those days when you feel the water and the wind in just right way that it feels almost magical. We only put the front sail up but I had about three hours of tacking practice….by george I think I’m getting it now! I'm learning to be more in tune with the wind and pay attention to it on my face and the direction of it to make the boat move. It's very zen at times.

Tomorrow, we have to beat it out of here early again because the weather is supposed to get bad early but we may put both the sails up….yeehaww!

Friday, September 25, 2009

It's the end of another week and I would like to declare that Friday evenings are not to be spent in the kitchen unless we choose to do that. Well...not tonight! It's pizza from this very cool place that uses wood in their ovens...it's so delish.

I haven't decided the flavor or the frequency this blog should have. Maybe I should just keep it casual and post at the minimum once per week. I don't want it to feel like another job and I don't want it to go by the wayside either. I was also thinking maybe I should have a theme...certain topics on certain days...there I go again...mini strategy session going on with me, myself and I :)

One blog item I have nailed down is sharing quotes that mean something to me...Friday sounds like a good day to do that. During my 48 weeks of chemo I hung on to one quote by Winston Churchill which I'll talk about another time. Below is my favorite for this week and timely for me in light of my new endeavor here.

"You control your future, your destiny. What you think about comes about. By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands - your own." - Mark Victor Hansen

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Turkey Burgers....wow I'm not sure whether I'm more excited that I got the image loaded or that these actually tasted really good! Either way here they are.

I need a better camera if I'm going to be a public foodie though...this pic was taken from my phone. What I really want is a Nikon D40...time to hit Ebay.

Back to the turkey burgers....I don't really have a recipe but here is what I did.

I ground up the end of a piece of day old baguette and added a little milk and an egg to make sort of a paste. Added that to a pound of ground turkey. 2 tsp of Guldens mustard, 2 tsp of worcestershire sauce, 1 minced clove of garlic and 1 shallot minced.....mixed er all up together with a fork....pattied them up and cooked on a paninni pan on the stove on low/med heat. Three words....omg :) These little beauties were moist and flavorful.

Part of my attack on this cancer is to eat whatever it doesn't like. Anyway, having cancer doesn't mean you need to eat differently than anyone else necessarily it just means that it is more important to eat healthy...like we all should be doing right? Baby steps though...otherwise the changes won't stick in my opinion. So, for each meal my plan is to have one healthy item if not more until my plate looks like the longest living vegan plated it up!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

It's taken me awhile to make the decision to start this project. It's so public and open and so out of my comfort zone to be so transparent. (not to mention the time I'll need to put into it...but that's time I'm putting into myself in a way and that's worth it) During my online research over the past several weeks it was amazing to me the support from perfect strangers given to others in an instant. Those people probably found these kind souls on the internet after doing a google search on "appendix cancer"...just like I did!

Problem is.....that there isn't much out there in the way of dealing with this diagnosis...not surprising since it's not that common. Well, it didn't take long for me to feel deep down in my gut that I had something to share. I will get myself through this and maybe along the way grab someone else up and help them get to a good place in the "new normal" way of life. And just maybe...the next time someone does a search on appendix cancer....I'll be there to light the way a little bit.

I don't want this to be all about the cancer. I've got so many other things in my life to worth my time and energy than that. But I have decisions to make and need to be practical. I want to lay out my choices here and maybe I'll hear from others who may be or have been in my situation...or close enough to relate to. It's not all about the disease but it's what got me here so I'm going to make the best of it.

Besides, making your disease your life takes too much energy that you can spend having a little fun...ok maybe alot of fun! I've got to go for tonight but look forward to some fun times :)

Cheryl......ps....going to try some ground turkey burgers tomorrow. IF they turn out ok I will share the experience and a photo....IF I can figure out how to upload it :)

About Me

Appendiceal cancer is very rare – considered a one in a million diagnosis. I am now officially "a one in a million"...isn't that special ;) This is my new challenge and this is my little corner of the world to share my favorite finds that help me maintain as healthy a body and mind that I can. I hope you take something away that you can use. Leave what you can't for someone else :)
I was diagnosed with appendix cancer on July 9, 2009. I'm still researching my options and would like to use this venue as my sounding board. I hope to share some useful information, tips, recipes etc that may help myself and others cope with this "new normal" way of life.